Help Newman House Press to Publish Dominus Est in English!!!

That is Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Karaganda, Kazakhstan whose article in favor of Communion while kneeling and on the tongue recently appeared in L'Osservatore Romano. His Excellency has a book, Dominus Est which is to be translated into English by Newman House Press. (If video loads slowly, click the "Gloria TV" in the corner and click on the link below it for slow loading, but be sure to come back and read this post because Newman House needs our help)

In a phone conversation with Fr. Peter M.J. Stravinkas, Ph.D., S.T.D last night who is working on this project, I learned that Newman House is in need of several thousand dollars, up front, for publishing this book in English. Please consider sending donations to them for this purpose. Send checks payable to:

Newman House
601 Buhler Court
Pine Beach, NJ 08741

If you place a note in the memo field of the check or in an enclosed letter for the Dominus Est project, it will help them to know where you want your funds allocated.

This has been mass distributed to several Catholic bloggers and I ask other bloggers who did not receive an email from me to please link to this post and advertise this needed funding. Consider that if 1000 people each donate $5.00, Newman House will have $5,000. No amount is too small. And, no amount is too big. Publishing is an expensive business and it takes many years to get that investment back which is why publishers often need large amounts up front to begin.

Within a few days I will be having more on this subject so stay tuned!!!

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About the St. Dominic Savio Series...

I was just wondering if anyone was following with interest the series on St. Dominic Savio.

Journeying through the lives of the saints is not only adventurous, but gives us ideas on how we should approach our faith. So much namby-pamby is passed off as Catholicism and yet, it does not make saints. The theme with saints is repeated over and again:

Eucharistic Devotion
Marian Devotion
Confession
Virtue driven living
Mortification & Sacrifice
Deep prayer life
Simplicity

On that last issue, I have not posted on it, but the book does describe how simple Dominic dressed and kept his hair. He did not burden himself with fashion. Contrast that with today's emphasis on designer clothes and fashions that change almost weekly.

The list goes on.


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9 Days with St. Dominic Savio: Founder of the Society of Mary Immaculate

From the book, Dominic Savio - Teenage Saint by Fr. Peter Lappin:

In the year 1854, Dominic made a novena to the Immaculate Conception with
special fervor. Each day of the novena his love fo the Mother of God increased until finally he could no longer hold himself in. He felt he had to speak to somebody about what was on his mind, and with Dominic that somebody always meant Don Bosco. In the evening, Don Bosco accustomed to receive his boys, he knocked at the saint's door.

"Father," he said, "I should like to do something very special for our Lady during this Novena."

"An excellent idea, Dominic," said Don Bosco.

"Yes," replied Dominic. "But what do you think I ought to do?"

"Nothing but your duty," said Don Bosco. "Although you might pay particular attention to your prayers."

"I'd like to do something more than that."

"Then go often to Holy Communion."

"I'm doing that already, Don Bosco," said Dominic. "Soon I hope to be able to go every day. But I'd still like to do something more."

"What then?"

"I'd first like to make a general confession, then offer myself completely to our Lady and ask her to keep me from sin. You see, I want the grace to be allowed to die before I ever commit a mortal sin."

December 8, 1854, was a day of great public rejoicing for Catholics around the world, for the Holy Father, Pope Pius IX, proclaimed the dogma of Immaculate Conception.

That evening, in a quiet corner of the Oratory church, Dominic knelt at the altar of the Mother of God and consecrated himself completely to her service for the rest of his life. He repeated to her his heroic motto: Death before sin!

"From this moment," wrote Don Bosco, began that exemplary kind of life, that exactness in the performance of his duty, beyond which it is difficult to go."

He was only twelve and a half years old, and this was his second important step along the road to sanctity.

With that, we jump to a website that jumps forward a couple years. Dominic did more for our Lady than he realized he would do. From the site of the Motherhouse of the Salesians of St. Don Bosco (SDB) in Turin, first repeating what is above (emphases mine):

8th December, 1854, Dominic Savio entered this church, knelt in front of the altar of the Immaculate and consacreted himself to the Virgin Mary with this short prayer (that for a long time, the Salesian boys learnt by memory and made their own):

"Mary, I give you my heart, make it always yours. Jesus and Mary, You are always my friends, but for pity's sake, make me die rather than let me suffer the disgrace of committing a single sin".

The altar of Our Lady where Dominic Savio consacreted himself to her is the work that recalls the foundation of the Society of the Immaculate, the 8th December, 1854. Two years later, Dominic Savio returned to kneel before this altar, no longer alone, but accompanied by the best boys from the oratory. He had founded the "Society of the Immaculate". He had asked himself:

"Why must we try to do good to others alone? Why don't we - all the most kind-hearted young people - unite and become a "secret society" of little apostles among the others?". Don Bosco approved of his proposal.

Dominic did not know that he had only 9 more months to live but he created a masterpiece.

Those "first founders" would become Salesians, except for Dominic who would go to heaven.

The Society would be transferred to every Salesian house for more than 100 years, becoming, everywhere, a group of committed young people certain of their vocation.

More stories on Dominic Savio
(Novena Prayer is at the bottom of Day 1 for March 9th Feast)

Day 1: The pint-sized boy and the Missal
Day 2: "Death before Sin!"
Day 3: Patron Saint of the Falsely Accused
Day 4: The Saint Meets a Saint

Day 5: The Stone Duel

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Archbishop Burke explains situation with Fr. Marek Bozek in Video

Following what I wrote this morning on Fr. Marek Bozek, a web page has been created at the Archdiocese of St. Louis website with much updated info. Included is a new video made by Archbishop Raymond L. Burke. It runs about 5 minutes and is a very somber look at this most grave situation.

As we discuss this wayward priest, there are people who have received invalid sacraments. The Archbishop makes an appeal for all those who were affected to step forward so that they may receive those sacraments validly. This includes marriages and the Sacrament of Penance.

This is an extraordinarily sad situation and the Archbishop is doing exactly what he should do in such cases: Go all out to protect the faithful.

I highly recommend you visit the page if you have been following this saga. Archbishop urges us to all pray that Fr. Marek Bozek and St. Stanislaus Kostka "Corporation" (no longer a Catholic parish), reconcile with the Catholic Church.

Canonist Ed Peters of In Light of the Law was going to be interviewed on Al Kresta between 4-6 on Ave Maria Radio on this subject. His page indicates the interview will happen around 4:20 and it's already 5:18 as of this edit. I believe Al Kresta has audio archives so we may be able to pick it up there.

Archdiocese of St. Louis webpage on Fr. Marek Bozek (contains Abp Burke video)

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Abp Burke seeks laicization of wayward priest

I regret that I was unable to make a post about Dominic Savio last night. Either way, I will make 9 posts total, even if they run past the saint's feast day - March 9th.

In the ongoing saga at St. Stanislaus Kostka polish parish in St. Louis, Archbishop Burke had apparently scheduled another meeting with Fr. Marek Bozek and the wayward priest failed to show. As a result. the Archbishop is taking steps to thave the priest laicized.

This priest truly has a troubled history. I have prayed for him, and the lay board that hired him with the hopes they would come to their senses.

What is interesting here is that the lay board thought they were hiring a traditional priest. In a comment found at the bottom of the CWNews article, it sounds as if some of his more recent activities - "ordaining" women - resulted in an influx of all kinds of characters into that parish. The Archdiocese has set up another polish parish - St. Agnes.

Go read more about Fr. Marek Bozek and Abp Burke.


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Another letter from the PCED....

Fr. Z has profiled some respones shared by seminarians who had written to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei (PCED) which will "soon" be issuing a set of clarifications on Summorum Pontificum, which allows broader use of the 1962 Missal.

We get a glimpse into perhaps the kinds of clarifications that we may see. They have been rumored to be forthcoming around Easter.

See the details at the bog of Fr. Z...

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Attention Priests & Seminarians: TLM Training in Chicago

Priest and Seminarian Training Workshop

Extraordinary Form of the Mass

1962 Missale Romanum

Monday, May 19, 2008 – Friday, May 23, 2008

This is a training workshop offered by the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago who have been celebrating the Extraordinary Form for some time. Folks, this is not too far from many cities. Hop on a train, drive, get on the bus, or fly!!!

See details here on Sancta Missa website

Click the letter below pre-dated for May 2008 by Francis Cardinal George, OMI of the Archdiocese of Chicago.





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9 Days with St. Dominic Savio: The Stone Duel

Bob and Penny Lord who appear frequently on EWTN have the story of Dominic Savio on DVD (click the pic)

Continuing with another story from the 1954 book, Dominic Savio - Teenage Saint by Fr. Peter Lappin, we look at a duel between quarreling boys and how Dominic courageously brought it to a safe ending.

In the 1800's quarrels were settled with duels. Duels typically made use of firearms. But, many of the poor boys could not afford them and so they had duels using stones. This could be very dangerous and damaging to say the least.

Well, Dominic caught wind that a duel between quarreling boys would be taking place and made it a point to find out where it was at. He did not run and tell Don Bosco as some thought he might. But, he knew it was displeasing to God because it involved hatred between the two boys and did not want to see anyone hurt.

First, Dominic wrote a letter to the boys trying to convince them not go through with it. When that failed, he told them he wanted to come to see it. He promised not to tell Don Bosco - a promise Dominic never broke. One of the boys involved in the duel later told the saintly priest about the incident.

When the boys arrived at the chosen place, Dominic had communicated that he would not squeal, but on condition - a condition he would not reveal just yet.

The boys had assembled with 20 stones at each of their feet, only 20 paces apart from each other. Dominic knew this could be a slaughter. Dominic was charged with giving the signal and as the time grew near, he began to fumble around in his pocket. He knew they were waiting impatiently and reminded them that he still had a condition to lay down.

From his pocket, he pulled up his hand holding high into the air, a crucifix. He shouted to them to start throwing and he braced himsef. Everyone paused and Dominic rushed over to the bigger of the two boys:

"Here's the condition," he said. "You've got to throw the first stone at me and say: Christ died innocent and pardoned His enemies, but I want my revenge."

This knocked the boy off his balance.

"But . . . . but I don't have anything against you, Dominic. Why I'd sock
the guy that'd hurt you!"

Dominic went up to the other boy.

"All right then, you go first."

"Aw, gosh, Dominic!" said the second boy. "I can't throw at you! You
don't come into this...."

Dominic then spoke warmly to both of them and showed them how foolish they were to act this way. in the end, he forced the boys to make up and shake hands and walked away from the filed with a duelist on each arm.

Sculptors and painters have preserved the memory of Dominic standing in this position and holding up a crucifix.

Seems to me that Dominic was just over 12 years old when this took place.



More from 9 Days with Dominic Savio

Novena prayer to St. Dominic Savio whose feast day is March 9th can be found at the bottom of "Day 1".

Day 1: The pint-sized boy and the Missal
Day 2: "Death before Sin!"
Day 3: Patron Saint of the Falsely Accused
Day 4: The Saint Meets a Saint


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Catholic Blog Awards: Go Vote!

If you like what you read here, please click the icon and vote in the Catholic Blog Awards! Vote today!

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9 Days with St. Dominic Savio: The saint meets a saint

As we continue to look more closely at the life of St. Dominic Savio, we need to look at how the young boy ended up at Don Bosco's oratory. Father Cugliero discovered that Don Bosco would be visiting his native town of Becchi which was only a half-an-hour from Moriondo by foot. Don Bosco's successes had spread all over and Father Cugliero made a brief trip to Turin to speak to him about the young Savio.

We now pick up the story in the book when St. John Bosco and St. Dominic Savio meet for the first time. From the 1954 book, Dominic Savio - Teenage Saint by Fr. Peter Lappin:

"What's your name, son?"

"Dominic Savio, Father."

"Where from?"

"Moriondo, Father. Father Cugliero said he spoke to you about me."

"Yes, he did indeed. How are your studies?"

Dominic told him. What he said was borne out of his father, who added proudly that his son knew the Catechism by heart.

As was his constant habit, Don Bosco gradually brought the conversation around to the state of the other's soul. Their talk took on an air of cordial intimacy.

"We were soon in each other's confidence, " wrote Don Bosco. "He in mind, and I in his."

Toward the end of the interview, Dominic wanted to settle things definitely.

"Do you mean to let me come to the Oratory?" he asked the priest.

"Yes," Don Bosco smiled. "You see I think I see in you a lot of good material."

"What do you think it's good for, Father?"

"To make a beautiful garment for our Lord."

"So I'm going to be the cloth . . . you the tailor?"

"Precisely. Only . . . "

"Only what?"

"Well, to tell the truth, Dominic, you don't seem to be any too strong."

"Oh, don't mind that, Don Bosco! God will give me enough for the future."

"And when you finish your studies, what would you like to be?"

"A priest. If God gives me strength enough, Father, I should like to be a priest."

"Fine. Fine!" exclaimed Don Bosco. "Now, Dominic, I want to see how much that head of yours will hold."

He picked up a little volume of his own Catholic Readings.

"Take this book and learn this page by heart. Tomorrow when you have it down pat, come and see me again. Meanwhile, you can take some fresh air and let your father and myself discuss the ways and means of sending you to the Oratory."

The priest turned to Dominic's father. "now, Mr. Savio . . ."

Details concerning Dominic's departure were discussed and about eight minutes later they were finished. Dominic reappeared in the doorway.

"Excuse me, Fahter, but if you want to hear that lesson now . . . "

"Mind you, Dominic," warned Don Bosco, "I meant you to learn it by heart!"

"I know, Father, and still I'm ready."

"So soon? Very well. Let's hear it."

"When a man considers the value of his soul . . . "

Dominic sailed through the lesson with one or two stops for breath. He followed up a brilliant performance with explanations of what he had memorized.

"Bravo!" exclaimed Don Bosco in genuine surprise. "Bravo, indeed!"

Don Bosco looked at Dominic for a moment. His piercing blue eyes searched the boy's face.

"Dominic," he said at last, "since you anticipated the lesson, I'll anticipate my answer. From this very moment, I count you as one of Don Bosco's boys. You must start praying from now on tht you and I may do God's holy will in your regard."

Dominic took the priest's large leathery hand in his own small white ones and kissed it warmly. Don Bosco blessed both him and his father and the two set out again along the road to Moriondo.

This meeting, incidentally, took place at the humble Bosco home in Becchi. Afterward, Don Bosco used to point out to his friends exactly where he and Dominic stood while they had talked together. After that first meeting he wrote his impression of the boy: "A cheerful youngster with a smiling face . . . I recognized in him a soul made wholly according to the spirit of God, and I was not a little astonished to see the marvels that grace had already wrought in one so young."

If you are doing the Novena to St. Dominic Savio for March 9th, go back to Post (day) 1 and scroll to the bottom. More storiest

Day 1: The pint-sized boy and the Missal
Day 2: "Death before Sin!"
Day 3: Patron Saint of the Falsely Accused



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Laetare Sunday at Assumption Grotto - in Photos

The fourth Sunday in Lent is known as Laetare Sunday when some parishes use the traditional rose colored vestments. I have long wanted to capture the beautiful rose, Roman chasuble during the extraordinary form (aka, Tridentine). In this week's Grotto News, Fr. Perrone explains:

Laetare means Rejoice! It is the first word of the Introit (opening song) of the Mass. What is there, you ask, to rejoice about? Is it merely the recognition that Lent is half done? That may be part of the reason, but I fear that with most Catholics doing little to nothing during Lent anymore, there’s little concern about being freed from fasting or from other penitential practices that aren’t being done in the first place. Even so, the deeper reason for being glad about this point in Lent is that we are the closer to Easter, the time when we will relive with Christ the joy of His resurrection.

In a related way, we are also to be glad in that Lent’s practices are accomplishing their intended purposes in firming up our Christian life and in making reparation for our sins. I make my complaint again: one can’t get happy (Laetare) over this if no penances have been done. Without Lent, without discipline and the austerities appropriate to the season, there will be so much less the experience of rejoicing. That’s a tough message to sell nowadays. People want what they want when they want it. Without self-denial, however, there will be no contrast in the Christian life that will make one have a deeper appreciation of its joys. It’s those who know how to do penance who get the most delight out of being a Christian, and maybe out of life in general.

"Our help is in the name of the Lord..."

"Be blessed by Him in Whose honor thou art burnt. Amen"

May our prayers rise to heaven and be as pleasing to God as the sweet smell of incense.

"I will wash my hands among the innocent: and will compass Thine altar, O Lord..."

"My Lord and my God!"

"My God and my All"

"What shall I render to the Lord for all He hath rendered unto me? I will take the Chalice of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. Praising, I will call upon the Lord and I shall be saved from my enemies."

" Ecce, Angus Dei..."




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9 Days with St. Dominic Savio: Patron Saint of the Falsely Accused

As we work our way toward's the March 9th feast day of St. Dominic Savio, we look now at one of the stories that likely led to his being named a patron saint of the falsely accused, among other titles.

It was the new boys who got to "fix the stove". That is, it was Dominic's duty to clean out the stove early in the morning and reset it so that when the teacher, Father Cugliero came in from the cold, he could put a match to it. Dominic was diligent. After it was all cleaned out, he went out for some firewood as the boys in the classroom fired off spit-balls at each other and horsed-around.

However, some of the boys wanted to have more than a little fun in the form of a prank. Here we pick up the story in Dominic Savio - Teenage Saint, by Fr. Peter Lappin:

"Say!" exclaimed one of the boys, suddenly. "Know what?"

"No," said the others.

"Let's fix the stove!"

"But it's already fixed. Savio fixed it."

"Yeah, but not the way I mean," said the first. He rose, went outside, and returned with his arms full of large round stones. He dropped them heavily on the floor. Then he lifted the lid from the stove, took out the biggest sticks, and to the surprise of the others, put the stones in their place. He closed the stove, put the extra wood on the pile, and came back to his desk. All comments were cut short by the opening of the door.

"Good morning, Father!"

"Morning, boys!"

Father Cugliero unwound the folds of his large, black cape and immediately gave his attention to the stove. Rubbing his dry palms noisily together, he bent down and opened the little iron door. He was so used to the routine he did not even look to see if the fire had been laid. Instead, he applied a lighted match to the paper in one or two places, waited until the paper was well lit, then threw the match into the heart of the flames and banged the iron door shut.

He looked up sharply. Had he heard something - a giggle? He must have been mistaken. Every head was bent over a book and lips were moving urgent, whispered preparation.

Turning to the textbooks on his desk he took up the one on top, opened it at a marker, and with his back as close as was convenient to the fast-warming stove, commenced the morning session. As question and answer continued, he began to sense rather than feel that things were not quite what they should be. He was inclined at first to attribute this uneasiness to a vague air of distraction in the class. If only he could put his finger on the trouble! The thought then occurred to him that there might be something wrong with himself. Finally it came to him - he was still cold. Perplexed, he turned and put his hand close to the stove. He touched it with his finger tips, gingerly at first, then laying his palm flat on the smooth top. It was stone cold! Amazed, he raised the lid and peered inside. Down at the bottom lay a grayish mass of crinkled, burned paper, over small pieces of kindling that still gleamed with dying sparks. On top of all this lay four or five large round objects blackened by the smoke. These had crushed out the fire.

[snip]

The teacher glared at the class. They stared back at him in wide-eyed innocence.

"Who did it?" he asked, quietly.

No one answered.

"Who did it?" he asked, this time in a roar.

Still no one answered, so he decided to go about his investigation more methodically.

"Who's responsible for the stove this week?"

"Savio!" Everyone said.

"Savio?" cried the priest, hardly able to believe his ears.

He shouted angrily, "Come up here, Savio!"

Dominic came up and stood before him.

"Who did this, Savio?"

No answer.

"Did you do it?"

Dominic refused to answer the priest's question and instead hung his head.

The book goes on to talk about Father Cugliero's great disappointment. He recollected the saintly boy's First Holy Communion. Father wondered if he had been corrupted since that day. How could he play such a mean trick without the courage to own up to it.

Father softly and slowly explained his disappointment in the young boy. The priest would have punished him far more severely had it been anyone else, but instead had him kneel for the rest of the period until recess. All of the boys were unusually quiet as Dominic knelt in the center of the room.

Before recess began, a group of boys approached Father Cugliero and told him that it wasn't Savio. We go back to the book again:

Father Cugliero glared at the faces staring at him over the desk. They didn't know who it was, but they knew it wasn't Savio. How very odd! He decided, nevertheless, not to press the point. Instead, he dismissed the boys called and Dominic up again.

"Savio, was it you who put the stones in the stove?"

Dominic again hung his head in silence.

But this time Father Cugliero insisted.

"Answer me, yes or no, Savio. Was it you?"

"No, sir."

"Then why on earth did you not say so at first? I'd soon have found the culprit and...."

"Well, sir, the one who did it was already on his last chance, and if you'd found it out, you'd have sent him home. It would only have been my first chance and I knew you'd let me off with something lighter. Besides," he added, lowering his eyes, "I thought of our Lord when He was unjustly accused. He didn't say a word either."

Father Cugliero was immensely relieved for a moment at the boy's explanation. Then he grew even more indignatn than before, not at Dominic this time, but at the others who had allowed Dominic to suffer for the trick they had played on him.

"Do you know what I'll do?" he said, breathing rather heavily, "I'll get the name of everyone who had a hand in this business and I'll..."

"Father," interrupted Dominic, "Do you think you could let them go just this once?"

Dominic smiled and put all the appeal he could muster into his entreaty. He would have suffered more htan the boys if they had been punished.

Father Cugliero looked at him for a moment, and then fought back a smile on his own face.

"Well," he answered as gruffly as he could, "since it's for you. Just this once. But you won't save them the next time."

More posts from the "9 Days with St. Dominic Savio"

Post 1 contains the novena prayer, as well, at the bottom.

Post 1: The pint-sized boy and the Missal
Post 2: Death before Sin!

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Baptized by "Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier"?

At the Call to Holiness Conference in 2005, someone asked this group of panelists whether their grandchild, baptized in the name of the "Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier" had a valid baptism. That is an expression used by those who want to "neutralize" or shall we say, "neuter" any masculinity from the formula. The answer given was the same explained by the Holy See in a document just released by the CDF. Bottom line is that such people have not been baptized and need to undergo a valid baptism. This is not new, or a change in Church teaching. It is simply clarifying existing Church teaching, which is why it was so easy for properly trained priests at the Call to Holiness to know without blinking an eye, that the baptism scenario presented, was one that was not valid.

Tom Peters has an extensive post on this subject with lots of background info and links.

Go read, "CDF officially ends dispute on "baptisms" by "Creator, Liberator, Sustainer", etc. at the American Papist.

You may also find Canonist Ed Peters article on the subject of interest, as well. Go read, "The rules of baptism are meant to be followed" at In Light of the Law.

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9 Days with St. Dominic Savio: Death before Sin!

Dominic was 7 years old when he received his First Holy Communion in 1849. Dominic had pleaded with the priest to let him receive Our Lord.

Back then, Jansenism was the heresy of the day. Following along in the book, Dominic Savio - Teenage Saint by Fr. Peter Lappin, it explains:

"Jansenists taught that Catholics should receive Holy Communion only after long and serious prepration, at the most only once or twice a year, and then
with great fear and trembling. As for children Dominic's age - not by any means!"

Father John was not a Jansenist, but he did not like just yet to make an open stand against the current practice. When Dominic, therefore, at age of seven begged to be allowed to receive his First Holy Communion with that year's group, Father John hesitated.

"I'll have to think this over" he said. He decided to first consult Father Cugliero, an old classmate from seminary days.

"Look, Father," he told his friend, "when that boy was only five years old, if he found the church door closed early in the morning, he would kneel down right there and wait until it opened. The weather never worried him. He'd kneel down in the mud as soon as on dry ground. I tell you I found him outside the church one winter morning waiting to serve my Mass, and he was actually stiff with the cold!"

When Father heard the other's description of Dominic's conduct, he decided immediately: if the boy can distinguish between bread and the Eucharist, let him receive.

[snip]

"what will all the other parents say?" This was the only objection several other priests could find against allowing Dominic to receive his First Holy Communion at such an early age. The two priests, therefore, boldly decided to violate the custom still in use of not permitting children to receive until they had reached the age of eleven or twelve. When Father John returned to Murialdo he told Dominic to go ahead and prepare to make his First Holy Communion.

[snip]

As to what Dominic felt when he first received Holy Communion, we can only guess. He always referred to that day with delight. "I did not know," he declared, "whether I was in heaven or on earth!"

For the occasion, he made four resolutions:

1. I wil go to confession very often and to Communion as often as my Confessor will allow.
2. I will keep the feast days holy.
3. Jesus and Mary shall be my friends.
4. Death before sin!

[snip]

This resolution, "Death before sin," places him side by side with the little saint of our own time, St. Maria Goretti, the martyr for purity. Their similarity lies in the firm intention both had of giving their lives before they would offend God by committing sin. Maria Goretti, however, was offered the opportunity to lay down her life to prove her intention. Dominic was not. Apparently God did not want a schoolboy martyr as a model. The death offered to Dominic was the death of his flesh, a slow martyrdom of mortification and penance that he accepted with a characteristic little smil on his lips - a martyrdom that was later illustrated in a vision Don Bosco had of Dominic shortly after the boy's death.

I couldn't help thinking about how Jesus wanted us to be like children. As we progress through additional stories from the life of St. Dominic Savio, you will get a better picture of authentic, God-pleasinhg purity. It does indeed project a child-like innocence with regards to purity.

The Novena prayer to St. Dominic is the same each day. It can be found in Day 1 of our "9 Days with St. Dominic" series.

Post 1: The pint-sized boy and the Missal



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Catholic Blog Awards - Voting Begins March 4th

Over the past two years I've seen various contests for blog awards, including the Catholic Blog Awards for.....Catholic blogs.

I have voted for some of my favorite blogs in these things, but have been careful not to get too caught up (perhaps it is a Carmelite thing - detachment).

I will admit though, that becoming a winner or even a runner-up in a category can get a blog an awful lot of hits and visibility.

I appreciate that someone was thoughtful enough to nominate the Te Deum Laudamus blog in some category (and "no", I did not nominate myself!).

If you like what you get here, and don't mind participating in the voting process, go register (free). Voting begins March 4th


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